The game of ice hockey has been developing at a rapid pace. The cost of equipment, ice time and ones own personal time has also increased. Various devices have been developed to overcome the above costs and to maximize the results one achieves when ones time is limited. Keen competition and personal achievement are playing a significant role.
To overcome the above problems most of which are encountered by young hockey players, a device has been developed by applicant which can contribute immensley to ones skills in handling and shooting of a hockey puck. This device is a simple mechanical device that can be used at home or elsewhere whenever you have the time or inclination. You can speed up or slow down the process as you wish. In combination with a target this device can take the form of a game each player testing his speed and accuracy for a given number of pucks to be discharged.
A search of the prior art has revealed several patents the most closely related being Canadian Patents 1,111,593, 950,782 and U.S. Pat. No., 2,469,016. Canadian patent "593" while showing a puck storage cylinder teaches a device that has an indexing means for releasing the pucks and a driver and guide means directing the puck downwardly. Applicants device differs considerably in that it teaches gravity feed of pucks in a tube, the discharge of the pucks being by a bent discharge lever which also controls the feeding of the pucks onto the base. Canadian patent "782" teaches coaxial discs gripping a puck and accelerating it until released through a hole in the wall of the accelerating chamber. Applicants device has a tube of pucks gravity fed and discharged by bent lever means, the bent lever controlling the successive feeding, of pucks onto the base. U.S. Pat. No. 2.469,016 while having projectiles in the form of gravity fed discs does not have them in a tube nor are they discharged by a bent lever mechanism. None of the above art singley or combined even suggests the basic principles for which applicant seeks protection.